249 Controls in detail
Driving systems
Driving systems
The driving systems of your vehicle are de-
scribed on the following pages:
Cruise control and Distronic*, with
which the vehicle can maintain a preset
speed
Airmatic DC adjusts the vehicle sus-
pension characteristics automatically
and controls the vehicle level
Parktronic system*, which assists the
driver during parking maneuvers
For information on the BAS, ABS, and
ESP®, see “Driving safety systems”
(
page 97).
Cruise control
The cruise control automatically maintains
the speed you set for your vehicle.
Use of cruise control is recommended for
driving at a constant speed for extended
periods of time. You can set or resume
cruise control at any speed above 20 mph
(30 km/h).
The cruise control function is operated by
means of the cruise control lever.
The cruise control lever is the uppermost
lever on the left-hand side of the steering
column (
page 24).
Warning!
G
The cruise control is a convenience system
designed to assist the driver during vehicle
operation. The driver is and must always re-
main responsible for the vehicle’s speed and
for safe brake operation.
Only use the cruise control if the road, traffic
and weather conditions make it advisable to
travel at a steady speed.
The use of cruise control can be danger-
ous on winding roads or in heavy traffic
because conditions do not allow safe
driving at a steady speed.
The use of cruise control can be danger-
ous on slippery roads. Rapid changes in
tire traction can result in wheel spin and
loss of control.
Deactivate the cruise control when driv-
ing in fog.
The “Resume” function should only be oper-
ated if the driver is fully aware of the previ-
ously set speed and wishes to resume this
particular preset speed.
252 Controls in detailDriving systemsFine adjustment in 1 mph
(Canada: 1 km/h) increments
Faster
Briefly tip the cruise control lever in di-
rection of arrow1 (
page 250).
Slower
Briefly tip the cruise control lever in di-
rection of arrow2 (
page 250).Setting to last stored speed
(“Resume” function)
Briefly pull the cruise control lever in di-
rection of arrow4 (
page 250).
The cruise control resumes the last set
speed.
Remove your foot from the accelerator
pedal.
The selected speed appears in the multi-
function display for approximately
5 seconds, and the corresponding speed-
ometer segments from the selected speed
to the vehicle maximum speed are illumi-
nated.
Distronic*
When activated, the Distronic adaptive
cruise control system increases driving
convenience afforded by the cruise control
during travel on expressways and other
major roads.
If the Distronic distance sensor detects
a slower moving vehicle directly ahead,
your vehicle speed will be reduced so
that you follow that vehicle at a preset
distance.
If there is no vehicle directly ahead of
you, Distronic will function in the same
way as cruise control (
page 249).
Warning!
G
The speed stored in memory should only be
set again if prevailing road conditions per-
mit. Possible acceleration or deceleration
differences arising from returning to the pre-
set speed could cause an accident and/or
serious injury to you and others.
Warning!
G
Distronic adaptive cruise control is no sub-
stitute for active driving involvement. It does
not react to stationary objects, nor recog-
nize or predict the curvature and lane layout
or the movement of vehicles ahead.
Distronic can only apply a maximum of 20%
of the vehicle’s braking power.
255 Controls in detail
Driving systems
Distronic displays in the speedometer
dial
1Set speed
If Distronic is activated, one or two seg-
ments come on around the set speed.1Segments
If Distronic detects a vehicle directly
ahead, the segments (representing the
difference) from the speed of the vehicle
ahead to the set speed come on.
If Distronic calculates that there is a dan-
ger of collision:
The distance warning lampl in the
instrument cluster comes on red.
An intermittent warning sounds.
In these situations, Distronic will continue to
maintain the set speed unless deactivated.
Distronic is designed and intended only to
maintain a set speed and keep a set dis-
tance from moving objects in front of it.Warning!
G
The “Resume” function should only be oper-
ated if the driver is fully aware of the previ-
ously set speed and wishes to resume this
particular preset speed.
i
The vehicle speed displayed on the speed-
ometer can briefly vary from the speed setting
on the Distronic system.
256 Controls in detailDriving systems
Immediately brake the vehicle to avoid
a collision.
Under no circumstances should the
driver await the intermittent warning
sound before braking. See the follow-
ing warning note.
The intermittent warning sound ceases
and the red distance warning
lampl goes out when the neces-
sary distance to the vehicle ahead is
again established.
Warning!
G
An intermittent warning sounds and the
distance warning lampl in the instru-
ment cluster is illuminated if the Distronic
system calculates that the distance to the
vehicle ahead and your vehicle’s current
speed indicate that Distronic will not be ca-
pable of slowing the vehicle sufficiently to
maintain the preset following distance,
which creates a danger of a collision.
Immediately brake the vehicle to increase
the distance to the vehicle in front of you.
The warning sound is intended as a final cau-
tion that you have not interceded with your
own braking inputs to avoid a potentially
dangerous situation. Do not wait for the op-
eration of the warning signal to intercede
with your own braking, as that will result in
potentially dangerous emergency braking
which will not always result in an impact be-
ing avoided.
Tailgating increases the risk of an accident.
Warning!
G
Distronic brakes your vehicle with a maxi-
mum deceleration of 6.5 ft / s
2 (2 m / s
2).
This corresponds to about 20% of the maxi-
mum deceleration ability of your vehicle.
Distronic brakes the vehicle in an effort to
restore the preset distance or to maintain
the speed.
257 Controls in detail
Driving systems
Distronic menu in the control system
In the Distronic menu you can read the cur-
rent settings for Distronic. What appears in
the multifunction display depends on
whether Distronic and the distance warn-
ing function are turned on or off.
Press buttonè orÿ repeatedly
until you see one of the following dis-
plays.Distronic deactivated
When Distronic is deactivated you will see
the standard display of Distronic in the
multifunction display.
1Vehicle ahead, if detected
2Actual distance to vehicle ahead
3Preset distance threshold to vehicle
ahead
4Your vehicle
5Symbol for activated distance warning
functionDistronic activated
If you turn Distronic on, you will see the set
speed in the multifunction display for
about 5 seconds. When Distronic is
activated, you will see the following display
in the multifunction display.
1Distronic activated
299 Controls in detail
Useful features
Mercedes-Benz Center or Mercedes-Benz
USA products and services is available to
you.
For more details concerning the Tele Aid
system, please visit www.mbusa.com and
use your ID and password (sent to you sep-
arately) to learn more (USA only).Call priority
If other service calls such as a
Roadside Assistance call or Information
call are active, an Emergency call is still
possible. In this case, the Emergency call
will take priority and override all other ac-
tive calls.i
The indicator lamp on the Information
button¡ remains illuminated in red for ap-
proximately 10 seconds during the system
self-check after switching on the ignition (togeth-
er with the SOS button and the Roadside Assis-
tance button•).
See system self-check (
page 295) when the
indicator lamp does not come on in red or stays
on longer than approximately 10 seconds.
If the indicator lamp on the Information
button¡ is flashing continuously and there
was no voice connection to the Response Center
established, then the Tele Aid system could not
initiate an Information call (e.g. the relevant cel-
lular phone network is not available). The mes-
sage
Call failed
appears in the multifunction
display.Information calls can be terminated using
buttont on the multifunction steering wheel
or the respective button for ending a telephone
call on the COMAND headunit.
!
If the indicator lamps do not start flashing
after pressing one of the buttons or remain illu-
minated (in red) at any time, the Tele Aid system
has detected a malfunction or the service is not
currently active, and may not initiate a call. Visit
an authorized Mercedes-Benz Center and have
the system checked or contact the Response
Center at 1-800-756-9018 (in the USA) or
1-888-923-8367 (in Canada) as soon as possi-
ble.
i
The indicator lamp in the respective button
flashes until the call is concluded. Calls can only
be terminated by a Response Center or Custom-
er Assistance Center representative except
Roadside Assistance and Information calls,
which can also be terminated by pressing
buttont on the multifunction steering wheel
or the respective button for ending a telephone
call on the COMAND headunit.
!
If the indicator lamp continues to flash or
the system does not reset, contact the Response
Center at 1-800-756-9018 (in the USA) or
1-888-923-8367 (in Canada), or Mercedes-Benz
Customer Assistance at 1-800-FOR-MERCedes
(1-800-367-6372) in the USA or Customer Ser-
vice at 1-800-387-0100 in Canada.
345 Operation
Tires and wheels
Switch on the ignition (
page 37).
Make sure the standard display menu
appears in the multifunction display
(
page 151).
Press buttonk orj repeatedly
until the following message appears in
the multifunction display:Run Flat Indicator
active
Menu: R-Button
Press the reset button (
page 27).
The following message will appear in
the multifunction display:
Restart
Run Flat Indicator?
Cancel
Yes
If you wish to confirm activation:
Press buttonæ.
The following message will appear in
the multifunction display:Run Flat Indicator
restarted
After a certain “learning phase”, the Run
Flat Indicator checks the set pressure val-
ues for all four tires.
If you wish to cancel activation:
Press buttonç.
or
Wait until the messageRestart
Run Flat Indicator?
Cancel
Yesdisappears.Checking tire inflation pressure elec-
tronically with the Advanced Tire Pres-
sure Monitoring System (Advanced
TPMS)*, (Canada only)
The TPMS only functions on wheels that
are equipped with the proper electronic
sensors. It monitors the tire inflation pres-
sure, as selected by the driver, in all four
tires. A warning is issued to alert you to a
decrease in pressure in one or more of the
tires.
Tire pressure inquiries are made using the
multifunction display. The present inflation
pressures are displayed only after a few
minutes’ travel time.
348 OperationTires and wheelsReactivating Advanced TPMS*
The TPMS must be reactivated when you
have adjusted the tire inflation pressure to
a new level (e.g. because of different load
or driving conditions). The TPMS is then
recalibrated to the current tire inflation
pressures.
Using the tire placard on the driver’s
door B-pillar (
page 336) or, if avail-
able, the supplemental tire pressure
information on the inside of the fuel
filler flap (
page 321), make sure the
tire inflation pressure of all four tires is
correct.
Press buttonè orÿ on the mul-
tifunction steering wheel repeatedly
until the standard display menu
appears in the multifunction display
(page 151).
Press thej or kbutton repeat-
edly until you see the current inflation
pressures for each tire appear in the
display or the following message ap-
pears in the displayTire pressure
displayed after
driving for
a few minutes
Press the reset button (
page 27).
The following message will appear in
the multifunction display:
Restart tire
pressure monitor?
Press the æbutton.
The following message will appear in
the multifunction display:Tire pressure monitor restartedAfter a few minutes driving, the current
tire inflation pressure values are ac-
cepted as reference values and then
monitored.
If you wish to cancel activation:
Press the çbutton.
Warning!
G
It is the driver’s responsibility to calibrate
the TPMS on the recommended cold infla-
tion pressure. Underinflated tires affect the
ability to steer or brake the vehicle. You
might lose control over the vehicle.
i
Reactivate the TPMS after adjusting the tire
inflation pressure to the inflation pressure rec-
ommended for the vehicle operating condition.
Tire pressure should only be adjusted on cold
tires. Observe the recommended tire inflation
pressure on the placard on the driver’s door
B-pillar (
page 336). Some vehicles may have
supplemental tire pressure information for driv-
ing at high speeds (
page 342) or for vehicle
loads less than the maximum loaded vehicle con-
dition (
page 342). If such information is pro-
vided, it can be found on the inside of the fuel
filler flap (page 321).